Sky Chord
by ii-Phoenix-ii
Summary: "So," Levi cleared his throat, "you moved into my building. What are the odds, huh?" [Modern AU]
1. Elevator

**Chapter 1: Odds**

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

 **Summary** : "So," Levi cleared his throat, "you moved into my building. What are the odds, huh?" [Modern AU]

* * *

 _Ding!_

The elevator doors slid open and a group of people in a mix of civilian clothes and scrubs stepped out. He stood by patiently, waiting for the metal box to empty. A quick look at his watch told him what his stomach was saying. It was time for dinner. There was a pizzeria just around his place and the thought of pepperoni, sausage, and onions made his mouth water. Levi pulled out his phone, searching through his contacts. The plan was to order some dinner then pick it up and go straight home.

He glanced down momentarily to see a little kid get in after the elevator stopped just one floor down. Unable to find the pizzeria's number, he went online. "Oops," the kid muttered. Levi looked between him and the closed door before punching the previous floor's button.

"Thanks!"

"It'll go down all the way before going up."

Bright green eyes widened, "Oh, mom's gonna be so mad."

Then the elevator came to a sudden halt, throwing the occupants off kilter. He knew what had happened even before he glanced at the sign stuck between 5 and 4. _Great_. He glanced at the kid. _Just great._ At least they still had light. Hospitals had back-up generators and if the power had gone out, he would have noticed the switch. _It shouldn't take too long then_. He was grateful the kid hadn't started wailing, instead he was staring expectancy at the adult. Levi quickly hit the call button, relieved someone answered.

"Yes, I'm stuck in Elevator 3A. There's a little kid here—"

"My name's Eren."

"—and we're stuck between the fourth and fifth floors. The kid's—"

"Eren," he said again.

"—mother got left behind on the fifth floor. You might want to notify her."

 _"_ _Thank you. The other two elevators in the wing also stopped functioning. Unfortunately, because of a medical emergency, we have to take care of those first before we get to you. Is that alright?"_

Levi sighed. "How long?"

 _"_ _Half an hour."_

 _That's not too bad_ , he thought. "Alright, thanks." He made himself comfortable, noticing Eren in his peripheral vision, watching him and doing the same. Levi pulled out his phone, happy to still have internet connection, and opened a game to pass time. He let out a huff, mildly annoyed at coming so close to beating his previous record.

"What's that? Is it Fruit Samurai?" Eren had been inching closer and now sat less than a foot from the older man. "What's your score?" He learned in and peeked. "That's it?" He snorted. "You suck."

"You think you can do better?" Levi raised at eyebrow. Eren grinned and held out his hand. Levi paused briefly before putting the phone in the open palm. Tiny fingers began slashing the screen with much speed and accuracy. _Stupid brat_ , he frowned as the kid blasted past his record. "Fine, I'll give it to you, you're not half bad."

"Half bad?" Eren held the phone with the super high score tauntingly in front of its owner's face, beaming with pride. "But I want to play again," he pouted and scooted closer when Levi took it back.

"Hold on," Levi moved his arm away. "Here," he opened up the dial pad, "it's been over 10 minutes, call your mom, she must be worried." Eren's fingers were flying across the numbers before Levi had a chance to wonder if he even knew his mother's phone number and how irresponsible on her part if he didn't.

"Hi mom."

Legs crossed and face resting in his palm, Levi half-listened to the conversation while daydreaming about Bella's pepperoni, sausage, and onion pizza. His stomach growled in response and he snuck a peek to see if Eren overheard. Nope, he too busy gushing about his new high score in Fruit Samurai.

"…and missed the stupid pear but I still beat my score on your phone!" He nodded, listening to the feminine voice on the other end. "Okay… I know… I know, mom," he rolled his eyes. "…I love you, too. Bye." Eren disconnected and stared at his fellow prisoner, crestfallen, arm moving slowly and reluctantly towards him.

Levi rolled his eyes. "It's fine." The boy beamed, eagerly searching through the games to pick a new one. "Where are your manners, brat?"

"Thanks," he replied quickly. Ten minutes later, Eren shoved the rectangular object in the frowning man's face. "I beat your high score!"

"Nobody likes a show off," Levi folded his arms. "Do you want me to take my phone back?"

"No," the child pouted. "I'm sorry." His face lit up. "I know!" He dug into his pocket and pulled out a bar of chocolate. Carefully balancing the phone on his thigh, he unwrapped the candy bar and presented it before his companion. "You can have half."

Levi didn't want to eat the sweet treat. He was hungry for pizza and didn't want to ruin his appetite. But Eren's shoulders slumped when he didn't react and the young boy got a dejected expression on his face, making Levi feel slightly guilty. Listlessly he snapped off half of the bar and bit into it. Chocolatey sweetness flooded into his mouth and Eren was happy-smiley once more.

"So, what are you and your mother doing here anyway?" He asked after finishing the chocolate before it could melt and stain his hands.

"My mom's friend hurt himself. We came to visit him. It was so _boring_ and he's so lame. I wanted to be home and watch cartoons but mom said no."

"That why you ran ahead?"

"Uh-huh," he nodded without taking his eyes off the phone. "We were _finally_ going home. Hey! I beat—"

"My high score, yeah, yeah, I know."

"Are there other games?" Eren asked a few minutes later.

"No," Levi glumly took his phone back. He couldn't believe all his scores were beaten by a kid half his size. According to the time, nearly half an hour had passed. "We should be getting out of here soon."

"Aw," Eren groaned.

"What?"

"I have to clean my room when I get home," he sulked.

"What's so bad about that?"

"I don't like cleaning," Eren folded his arms. "But mom's always making me clean it _every_ week. And I have to make the bed every morning too! It's just gonna get messy again at night!"

"That's no excuse to leave it a mess."

 _"_ _We'll be done in a minute."_

The two jerked in surprise. Levi stood and stretched his stiff muscles. "That was surprisingly fast. I thought it'd be a few more minutes." They felt the shift in the air as they began to descend. The doors opened on the fourth floor and they were greeted by a man in a maintenance uniform. "You two alright?"

"Fine," Levi answered. He stepped out, unable to find a middle-aged woman resembling Eren. "Where's your mother?" He turned back.

"She's waiting on the fifth floor," the dark-haired man answered, stepping in the elevator. "Are you going down?" His finger hovered over the button.

"I'll take the stairs, thanks," Levi waved his hand. "Spent enough time in an elevator today."

"Wait, what's your name?" Eren cried when the door began to close.

"Levi," he replied.

"Bye Levi," Eren waved before the doors shut.

* * *

 _I hate this_. He'd been wandering the store for what felt like an eternity. His feet hurt. And he could feel a headache coming. Levi wanted to be back in his apartment, on the couch eating chips and watching some random movie. Instead he was at the store doing some last minute gift shopping. Why had he thought putting it off until the last minute would be a good idea? Feeling aggravated, he grabbed the first quirky looking book he could find, scanned the blurb, and moved towards the bakery, cutting through one of the frozen foods isles.

He needed to pick up some bread and he was pretty sure he was running low on mayonnaise. _Do I have enough salt?_ A fist tugged at his jacket sleeve, ripping him from his thoughts and halting him. "Hi Levi!" Eren smiled up at him.

Levi looked around. There was no one else in the aisle. "Did you run away from your parents again?"

"I'm here with my mom."

"Your mother needs to put a leash on you."

Eren grinned toothily, "She complains that too."

"Didn't you learn your lesson in the elevator last week?"

"We're in a store, I won't get stuck."

"That's not the problem here, kid." He frowned in disapproval.

"Mom knows where I am," he shrugged. "I told her I wanted ice-cream."

Levi folded his arms. "You shouldn't run off on your own. Your mother must be worried sick."

But Eren's eyes and focus were on the ice-cream, not on Levi's words. He opened the glass door and attempted to reach the box at the very top. After a couple of failed attempts, he turned to the taller man with his eyes wide and begging. "You go straight to your mother after I get it, okay?" Levi said. "No more running off."

"Okay," he nodded enthusiastically.

"No," Levi moved the container out of his grasp. "We'll find your mother first."

"Fine," he turned and pointed. "She's this way." He began to lead. "She's looking at boring microwaves and stuff."

"Appliances are this way," Levi gestured in the opposite direction.

"Oh," Eren grinned and followed him. "Mom and I just moved here," he began. "She got a job with _lots_ ," he emphasized the point by opening his arms wide, "of money so we moved closer cuz our old apartment was too far. I'm going to be in 2nd grade," he said proudly.

"Kid, you shouldn't go around telling strangers things like that. Especially that your mom has a lot of money," Levi chided.

"But you're not a stranger, we're friends," he replied cheerfully.

"What if I was some creep, huh?"

"Then I would scream _pervert_ really, really loud and kick you in the nuts."

"You know you got quite a big mouth for a 5-year-old."

"I'm 6 years old. And I beat all your high scores," he added as an afterthought.

"That's got nothing—"

"There's my mom," Eren pointed.

Levi sighed. A young woman was consoling the frantic-looking dark-haired woman. "Here," he handed Eren the box, "you better get there before she has a heart attack."

"Okay, whatever, bye!" Eren waved as he ran off.

Levi's phone buzzed. "Yeah I'm on my way," he said and walked towards the self check-out area.

* * *

Curtains rustled at the cool air blowing from the window, carrying the sounds and smells of the city. The weather man droned in the background, explaining an upcoming sunny week. Levi seriously doubted it. After flicking the TV off, he shut the windows and drew the curtains, mind buzzing with thoughts on dinner while grabbing his laundry and heading downstairs.

It was Sunday evening and most of the families had finished their laundry earlier in the day. They were sitting down and eating together and it gave Levi plenty of access to any machine of his choosing. After mechanically stuffing his clothes in the washing machine and pouring the detergent, he dug into his pockets for loose change. Keys, phone, cash, but no coins. The curse was just at the tip of his tongue when tiny footsteps came from behind him.

Levi blinked, unable to wrap his head around the sight before him. "You're kidding me." He stared into familiar green eyes incredulously. _What the fuck? Am I being stalked by a six-year-old?_

Eren began babbling but Levi fell deaf to his words. His eyes moved to the newest arrival. The redhead seemed familiar somehow. He couldn't quite figure out where he'd seen her. In his defense, he was appropriately distracted. Levi gestured to talkative kid while staring into the familiar woman's face. "You see him too, right?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, face morphing into a look of confusion. "What?"

Something about her expression, the way her facial muscles stretched, tugged at him. He glanced between her and Eren. And suddenly, he recalled where he'd seen her. At the store, consoling Eren's mother. _She must be his babysitter._

"Eren?" She finally spoke, searching for an explanation.

"He's the one I was stuck with in the elevator," Eren pointed.

"Don't point, it's rude," she chided.

"Okay, mom."

"Mom?" Levi parroted. "Then who was she?"

"Who was who?" Confusion melted into her tone once again.

"The lady who was freaking out. At the store. I thought it was her…"

Realization dawned in her eyes and she smiled. "She lost her wallet and was freaking out. I was just trying to get her to calm down and offered to help her look for it. I can understand why you misunderstood." She placed the basket down. "I'm Petra. And thank you for looking after this little monster," she nudged Eren who'd come to stand next to her.

"He said you should put me on a leash."

Utterly mortified, Levi unconsciously shrunk a little, preparing for an outraged response at the ill-thought words he'd blurted at the store. Petra snorted, "Leash? Sweetie, I'm thinking about having a tracking chip put in your head."

"Cool!"

"So," Levi cleared his throat, "you moved into my building. What are the odds, huh?"

Petra shrugged, "That hospital and store are the closest to this apartment building, not really surprising we'd run into a neighbor."

She was right of course. Levi had seen his neighbors out and about in the street and in the local shops and stores. Only he'd never really cared enough to stop and make small talk. "Yeah, guess that's true."

"Are you done?" She nodded towards the washing machine

"No," he glanced over his shoulder. "Forgot to bring the change."

"Here," she reached into her pocket.

"No, it's fine—"

"It's the least I can do. Seriously."

A moment's hesitation later, he reached for the outstretched hand. "Thanks." He quickly put the coins in and started the machine. "Well, thanks again."

"It was nothing. See you around," Petra said and Eren waved beside her.

Levi left with a nod. _They look absolutely nothing alike_. Shrugging to himself, he made his way back to his apartment. _He must take after his dad._

* * *

 ** _Please Review~_**


	2. Heat Wave

**Chapter 2: Heat Wave**

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

 **Previously** : Levi is stuck in an elevator with Eren and later helps him get back to his mom at the store. He's shocked to learn Eren and his mother, Petra, moved into his apartment building.

* * *

It had become common occurrence for Levi to see the mother-son duo in the hallway and make small talk. Eren never missed a chance to harass him about games and high scores. Much to his annoyance and disbelief, Levi hadn't managed to beat the little kid. Not that he was telling the arrogant brat that. As far as the 6-year-old was concerned, Levi had blasted past his high scores and deleted the games because they no longer provided him with a challenge. From the way Petra's lips had curved into a mischievous smile, he got the feeling she hadn't bought it.

Levi checked his watch. He had plenty of time to tidy up his apartment—which, by normal standards, was already clean—before he had to leave and meet his friends at a local bar. It had been a while since he'd gone out. Work had been stressful recently and he could use some fun. The sun was just setting when he locked the door of his apartment. Behind him, he heard someone step out.

"Heading out?"

"Yeah. You too?" Levi asked.

Petra nodded, "I have to drop by the pharmacy. Wanna walk with me?" He nodded and fell in step with her. "So, how's work?"

"It's work," he wrinkled his nose, then shrugged. "But it's nothing too terrible and pays well so I can't really complain too much. What about you? Wait, what do you do?"

Eren was constantly firing off one question after another at Levi and Petra had gotten to know quite a bit about him. He knew next to nothing about her. "I work as a lab tech at Maria General Hospital."

"How's that going? Working at a hospital sounds stressful."

"Yeah, it is, but it's still pretty good. They've got flexible hours and I get the weekends off, the money's pretty good too. So," she punched the ground floor button, "where are you headed?"

"Meeting some friends at a bar. It's about ten minutes away from here, on the corner of 7th and Greenwood. It's very clean and the prices are pretty good. I think you'd liked the place. "

"I don't drink," Petra shrugged.

"You should still check it out for the food. They mainly serve Mediterranean and it's some of the best you'll find in the city."

"Thanks. Speaking of food," she perked up, "I was thinking about getting take-out tonight. Is that Bamboo Garden place any good? It had lots of good reviews online. Eren's having a sleepover at his friend's place tonight and they're supposed to eat Chinese. I've been day-dreaming about orange chicken for hours. And General Tso's. And sweet and sour chicken."

Levi made a face, "Sweet and sour?" His voice echoed in the parking garage.

"Yeah, it's good. Don't you like it?"

"I just don't like my food to be sweet _and_ sour. It's weird. The other two are good, but I love potstickers."

"Really?" Petra stopped before her small silver car. "You like potstickers?"

"Why? Don't you?" His eyes went wide, as if he was unable to imagine such a thing.

Petra wrinkled her nose, "They're just…blugh."

"Why?" Levi persisted. She had to provide him with more than 'blugh.' "You know I don't like sweet and sour chicken because of the weird mix of two flavors. Why don't you like potstickers?"

"I don't know, they just don't taste good. Especially the white part, ew. And they look kind of creepy too." Petra smiled, watching him shake his head incredulously before defending his beloved potstickers. Somehow, the conversation moved to other foods. So lost in conversation, they didn't know how much time had passed until Levi's phone beeped, stopping Petra in her tirade against olives.

"Sorry," Levi quickly scanned the text. "My friends are wondering where I am."

"Oh, of course, I'm sorry for holding you up." She quickly unlocked her car. "I'll see you around then."

He nodded and back up. "Hey," his voice stopped her just as she was about to slide in, "by no means is this conversation over."

"Naturally," she smiled and waved.

It wasn't until he watched the silver car turn out of sight did he realize something. Levi mentally slapped himself. _I'm an idiot_. Petra was new to the area. With Eren having a sleepover at his friend's place, she was free for the night. _I should have at least asked her if she wanted to join me_. It might have been nice for her to meet some people and relax for an evening.

At the restaurant, his friends were at their usual table. They'd already made orders and his meal was waiting for him. "Hey, Levi!" Hange waved him over like a crazy person and he rolled his eyes. Someone was already a little tipsy it seemed. "Where were you? It's been like an hour."

"I lost track of time," he shrugged. "Thanks for ordering for me, I'm starving."

"You came at the right time," Erwin grinned, "Mike and Nanaba were just telling us about their crazy neighbors' latest antics."

The food was really good, as was the company. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little…off. Suddenly, an image of a certain ginger-haired woman eating alone in an empty apartment came to mind. _Next time,_ he thought, he'd asked for sure.

* * *

Levi was dying.

 _It's too fucking hot._ Big, yellow, and bright, the summer sun seared down on the little humans running under in. _What is wrong with these people?_ He scowled at a few fellow pedestrians who actually seemed to be enjoying the horrendous heat. Why did he ever think taking a walk would be a good idea in this awful weather? _That's right, I've been cooped up for weeks._ It was straight to home after work and once to a bar every week.

Theoretically, going out for some fresh air and soaking up the sun's rays seemed like a good idea. In reality, he was just reminded of why he hated going outdoors, especially during burning hot summer days. If Levi could spare the moisture, he'd cry at the sight of his apartment building. The soft hum and cool air of the building's air conditioners greeted him and he finally, after getting out of that horrible sun, felt relaxed.

Looking at the content in the plastic bags, he felt the walk wasn't a complete waste of time. Levi couldn't wait to dig into the container of mint chocolate chip. He could practically feel his temperature dropping just at the thought of it. A familiar tiny dark head raced past him, only to stop and run back.

"Kid, how do you have so much energy?"

"Look what I have!" Eren proudly held up a container of vanilla cream with fudge and bananas.

"Good for you."

"You don't like the heat much, do you?" Petra caught up with him, watching Eren take her keys and run up ahead again to open the door and dig in to his cold creamy treat.

"This is hell."

"I'd imagine so." She held up her hand. "At least there's ice-cream."

"Mom, hurry up! It's starting." The fun, lively music of Eren's favorite cartoon came from inside.

"See you around."

Levi placed the bag on the counter. As much as he wanted to stuff his mouth with mint chocolate chip, the sweat making his clothes stick to his body was grossing him out. The smell was putting him off too and the idea of cold water cleansing his skin was heavenly. He went in for a quick shower, spending more time than he originally intended. _I feel so much better now._

It didn't last long.

The walk back to his apartment in the terrible heat and being left outside on the countertop had turned his treat into a sloppy mess. _No. No! Fuck no!_ There were still thick chunks in the container, but it was all cover by melted goo. Levi _hated_ that. "You have got to be fucking kidding me!" A few more expletives left his mouth and Levi clenched and unclenched his hands in anger and frustration.

Now he had to go back and get more. It'd be faster and cooler with the car though. Still, just the thought of the mess he had to toss out made him wince in pain. Agitated and annoyed with himself, he answered the knock at the door with a scowl.

Petra's eyes darted down to towel clad body before widening and darting away again. "Um…"

 _Great, now she thinks I'm a pervert who opens doors almost naked_. He cleared in throat. "Yes?"

"I heard you yelling."

"Sorry, I didn't realize you could hear that." Had he really been yelling that loudly? Or were the walls that thin?

"Actually, I was in the hallway. I was just coming back from my car, we left a bag behind." Purposefully, she kept her eyes trained on his face. "Why were you yelling?"

His expression once again became one of irritation. "I walked all the way here from the store and then left the ice-cream out and it melted."

"Oh! One second." She disappeared into her apartment.

Levi felt awkward standing in the hallway in nothing but a towel. _Should I go back?_ Petra would probably be back in a few seconds. He wondered maybe he should take the chance to at least grab a robe. What if Eren came barreling out and saw him?

Petra re-emerged with a present, "Here, hope you like vanilla bean."

"It's okay, you—"

"Don't worry about it," she shook her head. "Eren was worried about a shortage," she grinned, "so we stocked up quite a bit. I don't think he'd mind if I shared one with you."

"Thanks," he accepted it and watched her disappear behind her door again. Quickly changing into some clothes, he sat on the couch, TV on in front of him but his mind elsewhere. Sweet and cold, the ice-cream melted in his mouth, the taste permanently linked to his tiny neighbor with the big heart.

* * *

"Please, please tell me I'm dreaming," Levi shut his eyes. When he opened them again, it was still dark. _This is a fucking nightmare._ He should have known this would happen. They were going through a record breaking heat wave. Every single household had fans and air conditioners turned on full blast. A blackout was only a matter of time. It had already happened in other parts of the city.

Voices drifted from the hallway while Levi grabbed a flashlight. Mentally, he cursed himself for not buying candles in case of an emergency. As much as he disliked the idea, he'd have to leave the windows wide open if he didn't want to be cooked while he slept. _That's only considering if I even fall asleep._

He knew who was on the other side before he opened the door. "Hey," Petra stood in a blue, cotton robe and flip-flops, "some of us going up to the terrace for little bit. Wanna come with?"

Normally he'd had have said no. But Levi really hated the heat, more than being in the company of other people. Sitting under a starry sky with the cool wind blowing gently was exceedingly tempting. "Sounds good," he nodded. "No, wait, I don't have one of those," he gestured to the lawn chairs in her arms.

"No problem," Petra held one out for him. "I brought one to share."

"What about Eren?" He was not about to take a chair from a 6-year-old.

"He and the other kids are going to sit on some blankets and play board games."

"Alright," Levi agreed, "let me just grab some things." Petra waited patiently for him to lock up and handed him the blue folding chair. "So, where is the little monster anyway? Did he run up ahead again?"

"Yeah, you know kids. Once they get together, all they think about is playing as soon as possible and there's no stopping them. They're all already up on the roof."

The terrace of the the building was concrete with a two foot ledge around it. A small garden sat at the right and a few potted plants to the left. People had already broken into groups. Except for the kids, they were all sitting together. The group consisting of their parents sat next to them. Petra joined them and Levi followed.

Everyone had cell phones in their hands, but he was glad he wasn't the only one with a laptop out. He figured as long as he contributed a little to the group's conversation it wouldn't be too rude. Overheard, the full moon was out, shining brightly and providing plenty of lighting. More stars were becoming visible and twinkling like diamonds on the black velvety sky. Still they had flashlights of all sizes just in case.

Despite his reluctance to interact with others, he was drawn into the conversation about children and their silly antics. Levi recalled a few of his own childhood memories and found himself sharing them. Eventually, the younger kids began nodding off. It was well past midnight when they decided to retire for the night.

Levi grabbed the chairs while Petra picked up Eren's sleeping form. "Can you hold my laptop?"

"Of course," she replied. Chairs in one hand and flashlight in the other, he lead her down the stairs. "Can you get the door for me, please?" Petra asked. "The keys are in the pocket."

Setting the chairs along the wall, he pulled out the keys and unlocked the door. Plenty of moonlight poured through the windows, making it easier to see in the dark. Levi placed the chairs against the sofa and grabbed his laptop from the table, unsure what to do now. Should he wait for Petra to put Eren to bed and say goodbye or just leave?

Fortunately, she reappeared and saved him from feeling foolish just standing around arguing with himself. "I hope the power comes back by tomorrow."

"Yeah." He cringed internally at his single syllable reply.

"My favorite show's on tomorrow night and I really don't want to miss the episode."

"Of course," he chuckled.

"Well, good night then," Petra said before an uncomfortable silence could set in.

Levi nodded, "Good night."

Mercifully, his apartment wasn't as hot as he'd been expecting it to be. The draft coming from the open windows and the night's cool weather had kept the temperature from becoming suffocating.

Making sure his alarm was set, he closed his eyes, trying to think 'cold' thoughts. _Maybe I should take a vacation in the mountains for a bit_. He didn't think he was going to get a lot of sleep that night. Eventually though, he did fall asleep. And when he did, he dreamt of Petra's face, looking unimpressed, and a sheepish Eren with crumbs covering his mouth, his hand literally caught in the cookie jar.

* * *

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